Cable subscribers to get all parliamentary channels

The cabinet's decision will enable consumers to view the parliamentary proceedings being transmitted.

The government on Friday approved a bill making it mandatory for cable TV operators to include all parliamentary channels in the bouquet they provide to subscribers.

The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Bill 2006 would be introduced to amend section 8 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 to make it compulsory for every cable operator to re-transmit channels operated by or on behalf of Parliament.

"The cabinet's decision will enable consumers to view the parliamentary proceedings and other informative and educative programmes being transmitted by the channels operated by or on behalf of the Parliament of India," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi told reporters after a cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.